Knifemaker
Not me
^ Looks like Pulled Pork. They were going to call it Pulled Wood....but decided against it. 
Smokers (BBQ - not grilling)
- Thread starter Fred W
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Sounds like this guy hasn't eaten too many BBQ pork ribs before. It's pretty easy to get the meat so well cooked that the "meat falls off the bone" when shaken. (That phrase is the slogan of a local restaurant, Tommy Floramo's, FWIW)
I prefer to shoot for the consistency where you can still slice them with a sharp knife, and they don't self shred, which is what tends to happen when they are cooked so long that the bones fall out. That is what the BBQ competition judges look for in consistency, and I have to agree with them.
As for bitter or off flavor, the only times that I've experienced any off flavors is when I used primarily plain Kingsford blue charcoal. Smoking with lump char and wood chunks, or straight wood splits doesn't give that nasty, overly spicy flavor. at all I blame it to the bituminous coal that is an ingredient of Kingsford. In any case since swearing off Kingsford blue, I haven't had any further episodes. I will add that I have cooked, and learned, a lot since my original post. 3 years ago
I'm glad that you have a system that works well for you. I'd suggest that there are far more ways than just one to skin the BBQ cat.
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Knifemaker
Not me
"I will add that I have cooked, and learned, a lot since my original post. 3 years ago.."
Wow, didn't realize how far back this thread went. I remember reading all 190 posts back in June of 2015....then posting my wish to get my own smoker. Look how many posts there's been since then.....
There are, yes, so many different ways (and contraptions) to smoke meat, and I'll have to say they ALL seem to work....so no, there's no "right way"..... it's Chefs Choice, and that's where the fun comes in.
So keep the ideas, the methods, and the photos coming.....
Wow, didn't realize how far back this thread went. I remember reading all 190 posts back in June of 2015....then posting my wish to get my own smoker. Look how many posts there's been since then.....
There are, yes, so many different ways (and contraptions) to smoke meat, and I'll have to say they ALL seem to work....so no, there's no "right way"..... it's Chefs Choice, and that's where the fun comes in.
So keep the ideas, the methods, and the photos coming.....
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eflyguy
Well-known member
The water is needed in a smoker that has continual airflow. The kamados have very little airflow, so the food stays moist without added water.
I had a competitive BBQ guy tell me about 15 years ago - the lower the better, shoot for 200. That's been my approach ever since..
Rib consistency - yes, agreed - you don't want it to fall off the bone, but just short of that is perfect.
I had a competitive BBQ guy tell me about 15 years ago - the lower the better, shoot for 200. That's been my approach ever since..
Rib consistency - yes, agreed - you don't want it to fall off the bone, but just short of that is perfect.
08FJR4ME
-WYNPRO-
I made some stuffed burgers today and put them on the smoker. Currently cooking.
Sorry no pic's.
Dave
Sorry no pic's.
Dave
Knifemaker
Not me
Again whatever works for you
1. Wasn't questioning you using water, just adding onion and garlic to it. Most pit guys will tell you if you're smoking meat with a rub, both will overpower any taste of adding flavors to the water. It might make a nice smell while you're doing a cook, but will basicly be imperceptible with the finished product. And the use of a water pan is still controversial...many will say water pans make more sense in vertical or ceramic smokers....the opposite of what you just said. Really depends on what you're cooking in and what your cooking. Meats with high fat content already have a lot of moisture in them. And if you like a crisp bark, steam isn't going to help.2. I'm sure if you do a poll at a BBQ competition....you'd get many conflicting opinions, not just on tempatures, but on using water, and everything else for that matter. Quite a few say they don't put water in their water pan, but use sand instead. Again, many different opinions depending who you ask, and no "right answer" as pit masters with conflicting methods still are still both winning cook-offs..
On an unrelated tangent...came across this article on "the stall" that I found interesting...there's also a link at the end to the guys website with further testing by him:
https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/987719
Here's the link to his site if the above doesn't work for you:
https://www.genuineideas.com/ArticlesIndex/stallbbq.html
Oh, and here's last nights food porn...reheated ribs:
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Saturday afternoon smoke roasted a nice 7 lb pork loin. Just a quick and dirty Dalmation rub and about 3 hours at ~ 225F. Used lump char and hickory chunks for the flavor. Pulled it off at 144 F internal temp. Came out with a nice subtle, smoke flavor and tender and juicy as ever.
Since I was making smoke anyway, I also threw on a few fresh Italian Sausage Links from the local supermarket at the same time, keeping them at the firebox end of the cooking chamber which runs a few degrees hotter in my pit. They came out surprisingly tasty, with all kinds of smokey flavor. Sliced some up for crackers and cheese while we waited for the roast to finish. They taste kind of like a smokier version of summer sausage.
Tossed some sausage chunks into some leftover PP Mac 'n Cheese last night for Sunday night supper too.
Since I was making smoke anyway, I also threw on a few fresh Italian Sausage Links from the local supermarket at the same time, keeping them at the firebox end of the cooking chamber which runs a few degrees hotter in my pit. They came out surprisingly tasty, with all kinds of smokey flavor. Sliced some up for crackers and cheese while we waited for the roast to finish. They taste kind of like a smokier version of summer sausage.
Tossed some sausage chunks into some leftover PP Mac 'n Cheese last night for Sunday night supper too.
Knifemaker
Not me
Glad to hear the sausage came out well with some smokey goodness, as I plan to smoke my brats this year for our anual "Oktoberfest". I was concerned that due to the casing on the sausage it wouldn't get infused with much smoke.
Did you put any kind of rub on them? Wondering if that would be a good idea. (I've grilled brats that I used a rub on and they tasted great..,but hard to tell if it made a difference as I usually sause them up near the end of the cook .) I do coat them with a bit of olive oil to help get a nice crunch on the skin before I put on any sause.
Did you put any kind of rub on them? Wondering if that would be a good idea. (I've grilled brats that I used a rub on and they tasted great..,but hard to tell if it made a difference as I usually sause them up near the end of the cook .) I do coat them with a bit of olive oil to help get a nice crunch on the skin before I put on any sause.
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Nope. No rub, or oil, or anything special. I did poke them with a series of holes wiuth the tip of a sharp knife so the rendered fat could drip away. No apparent problem getting smoke flavor into them. The smoke ring went to the very center of some links and just shy of center in the others, like the one cut open in the photo above.
The skins also firmed up nice and were somewhat snappy when they first came off. They tasted really good with just a little spicy mustard. After they'd cooled I sliced them thin for eating on crackers with cheddar cheese.
The Italian sausages do have a little fennel added to the grind, but you really do not pick up on that much after the smoking. I'm sure that Brats would work out just as well.
The skins also firmed up nice and were somewhat snappy when they first came off. They tasted really good with just a little spicy mustard. After they'd cooled I sliced them thin for eating on crackers with cheddar cheese.
The Italian sausages do have a little fennel added to the grind, but you really do not pick up on that much after the smoking. I'm sure that Brats would work out just as well.
Bustanut joker
Well-known member
Been to got dam hot to mess with fire here this summer... I did do an order for 65 pounds of pulled pork back in April.
3 straight days/nights of tending the smoke.
As Knifemaker above stated I've learned a shit load since this thread started.
I've gotten good enough, and developed a few tricks that a fella that runs a restaurant that specializes in smoked meats keeps bugging me for my secret I inject into pork..
And before some jackass asks? No it isn't cocksnot.
I was hoping to have the big smokehouse built by now but I'm a lazy bastage.
3 straight days/nights of tending the smoke.
As Knifemaker above stated I've learned a shit load since this thread started.
I've gotten good enough, and developed a few tricks that a fella that runs a restaurant that specializes in smoked meats keeps bugging me for my secret I inject into pork..
And before some jackass asks? No it isn't cocksnot.
I was hoping to have the big smokehouse built by now but I'm a lazy bastage.
eflyguy
Well-known member
My response wasn't directed at you - I didn't mean to come across as knowing it all!Again whatever works for you
My experience has been that my kamado cooks better than anything else I've had, except my electric, and for what I consider the same reason - far less airflow. In my first smoker (small bullet style) and second (side-box), I found adding a pan of water really did help long cooks (I do ribs for ~8 hours, and butt for 12-18..)
As to temp - I've had many "failed" cooks where the temp was out of control and I ended up cooking at a higher temperature. It wasn't bad, but it did require more tending to ensure it didn't ruin the meat.
It just occurred to me as I wrote this - I wonder if targeting <212F is relevant?
Knifemaker
Not me
Eflyguy- wasn't taking anything personally here, just pointing out to other readers that there's a plethora of techniques and opinions on how to smoke meat.
Targeting 212F, the boiling point of water would obviously make sense if you're using water to add moisture. But then even water at 100F is putting off moisture do to normal evaporation (of course the warmer the water, the more water molecules escape)
Once you get the water up to boiling point it's going to vaporize the fastest, so the question here is are you adding more water as it boils off, or have you enough water to start with that it lasts through your cook?
On a long cook if you're having to add water, it then would seem like a good idea to be adding hot water, as cold water will lower the temperature of your food chamber. (And take awhile to get near boiling point)
As for targeting 212F if you have a large water pan, that would seem "easier" than trying for say, 225, as the steam from the water is 212, it would take more energy (read fuel) to raise the temperature above that.
But then I have to ask how much energy is being used just to heat the water (as opposed to the meat)
I know many use water pans not to add moisture, but as a heat sink or barrier for more indirect heating.
Again, a lot of different theories here....
Fred, good to hear about the sausage...but I'm not sure about poking holes in the skin, as some of that "rendered fat" tastes pretty good and keeps the sausage juicy.....
Targeting 212F, the boiling point of water would obviously make sense if you're using water to add moisture. But then even water at 100F is putting off moisture do to normal evaporation (of course the warmer the water, the more water molecules escape)
Once you get the water up to boiling point it's going to vaporize the fastest, so the question here is are you adding more water as it boils off, or have you enough water to start with that it lasts through your cook?
On a long cook if you're having to add water, it then would seem like a good idea to be adding hot water, as cold water will lower the temperature of your food chamber. (And take awhile to get near boiling point)
As for targeting 212F if you have a large water pan, that would seem "easier" than trying for say, 225, as the steam from the water is 212, it would take more energy (read fuel) to raise the temperature above that.
But then I have to ask how much energy is being used just to heat the water (as opposed to the meat)
I know many use water pans not to add moisture, but as a heat sink or barrier for more indirect heating.
Again, a lot of different theories here....
Fred, good to hear about the sausage...but I'm not sure about poking holes in the skin, as some of that "rendered fat" tastes pretty good and keeps the sausage juicy.....
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I think it may depend on what you are going to do with them. Part of my goal was to have a sausage that I could refrigerate and slice to eat cold. There was still more than enough fat left in the sausage meat for my tastes. Leaving all of that fat trapped inside would be pretty yucky when cold, IMO.
Best bet: Try some both ways and see which way you prefer.
Best bet: Try some both ways and see which way you prefer.
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Knifemaker
Not me
Well my plan is to put them in a bun, squirt them with some BBQ sause, or better yet, coat them with my favorite German mustard*, toss some sour kraut on top, and eat them...I think it may depend on what you are going to do with them.
Best bet: Try some both ways and see which way you prefer.
Normally if there are leftovers they get reheated in the microwave and consumed the same way. Never thought of slicing them and eating them cold...but, hey, might give it a try...sausage is sausage right?
But yes, for strictly scientific proposes.... I will try puncturing a few of them just to see what happens.
I have had "brat burgers" which are just bratwurst meat pressed into patties and grilled like a burger (there's a bar in Hudson WI that makes awesome ones) I bet those would be really good smoked instead of grilled....(looks like I'll be trying that too
)Did have some "sausage sliders" at one of the anual BBQ competitions here....just regular pork sausage patties smoked and slipped into slider buns....
Crap, I'm making myself hungry again......
KM's favorite brat mustard:
https://store.mustardmuseum.com/product/899/german-mustards
If you're going to be eating them hot-off-the-grille in a bun, I don't think you'd want as much smoke as I infused into mine; it would be a bit over powering. Maybe crank up the temp a bit and shoot for only about an hour of cooking / smoking time. There will still be plenty of smoke flavor. Smoking them for well over 2 hours, mine were more of a dried smoked sausage type of flavor, than a hot and juicy brat.
Knifemaker
Not me
Well after reading numerous techniques online for smoking bratwurst, my plan now is to get the cooking chamber in the 220-225 range, use a sacrafical brat to be skewered with my tempature probe, and to pull the suckers out to eat wen the reading hits 165F. Poking holes in the skin seem to be frowned upon.
Estimated time seems to be in the 1-1/2 to 2 hour range. Will report back October 15 on how they turned out.
However.... This weekend I may do a run just to see how they'll turn out...
Estimated time seems to be in the 1-1/2 to 2 hour range. Will report back October 15 on how they turned out.
However.... This weekend I may do a run just to see how they'll turn out...
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08FJR4ME
-WYNPRO-
I just mentioned about smoking something this weekend to my wife yesterday. She says not again to me. The oldest son isn't a fan either.
I have some ribs in cryovas waiting to go on this weekend. Looks like I will be putting some up in the freezer.
Dave
I have some ribs in cryovas waiting to go on this weekend. Looks like I will be putting some up in the freezer.
Dave
Coondawg07
Member
I just stumbled onto this thread. I've got a basic Oklahoma Joe's smoker and I use it quite frequently. I look forward to having the time to poke through this thread. Looks like it will take a while.
"not again"???!!!!
Blasphemy!
Blasphemy!
eflyguy
Well-known member
Sounds like time for a new family...
